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Glite Dictionary
to disorganize

to disorganize

4 4.5
To make something lose its order or structure
  • verb
  • /dɪsˈɔrɡəˌnaɪz/
  • US
translation icon : desorganizar
  • The sudden change in plans began to disorganize the meeting, leaving everyone confused about their roles.
  • became disorganized

Examples

  • When his mother was around, Joseph was disorganized; he would act out, and he refused to cooperate.

    Academic text (2005)

  • The popular sectors became disorganized, and the UASP split into two segments.

    Academic text (2002)

  • It's when we disorganize all our ID, our our ideas and to construct it again.

  • Do you honestly believe that we fake being disorganized, late to everything, and in general out of control?

    Blog text (5)

  • Teachers who constantly "wing it" in teaching daily lessons will be disorganized and will not make productive use of rehearsal and teaching time.

    Academic text (2001)

  • Right now, OWS has just been disorganized and has offered up no real solutions to America's problems.

    Blog text (27)

  • The pre-modern system of assessing "good teaching" was disorganized with a multitude of competing criteria and claims.

    Academic text (1993)

  • After the storm hit, the wind and rain disorganized the carefully arranged garden, scattering leaves everywhere.

  • Her chaotic workspace disorganized her thoughts, making it hard for her to focus on the task at hand.

Synonyms

to mess
vsto disorganize
248 1.0

To make something untidy or dirty

focuses more on removing order or system rather than dirtiness
to scramble
vsto disorganize
85 2.6

Mix eggs quickly while cooking until they become soft and fluffy

implies a general loss of order without the energetic action
to mix up
vsto disorganize
  • Informal
65 2.7

To make people confused and things messy

is about breaking systematic order rather than just causing confusion
to mess up
vsto disorganize
  • Informal
52 3.0

To make something untidy, dirty, or not in the right place

implies a wider breakdown of order or structural system
to confuse
vsto disorganize
38 1.9

Mix things up so their order is not clear

is wider, affecting structure and system beyond unclear ordering
to jumble
vsto disorganize
22 3.8

Mix things together in a confused way

covers loss of order more generally, not only mixing things together
to disorder
vsto disorganize
7 5.5

To make something untidy or not in its usual order

causes a loss of overall order or system more broadly
to cause chaos
vsto disorganize
7 4.1

To make a place or situation very messy and confused

refers more to making something lose order or structure without extreme disruption
to create a mess
vsto disorganize
1 2.1

Make a place messy so things are not in order

is broader, implying loss of organized structure beyond visible mess
to disarrange
vsto disorganize
1 6.4

To make something messy or not in the right order

is broader, affecting system or structure beyond simple untidiness
to disarray
vsto disorganize
1 5.6

To make things untidy or cause confusion

is more about breaking formal order or system rather than casual untidiness
to clusterfuck
vsto disorganize
  • Offensive
9.9

To make a situation very messy and badly managed

describes loss of order more neutrally without extreme or vulgar emphasis

Antonyms

to organize
  • US
662 1.6

Arrange people, things, and activities so they work well

to order
201 1.0

To put things in a neat sequence

How Disorganized

to disorganize
  • US
4 4.5
to mess up
  • Informal
52 3.0

Surface Forms

disorganize infinitive
disorganized past
disorganized past participle
disorganizing present participle
disorganizes third person singular

Morphology

disorganize = organize (semi-transparent) = dis + organ + ize

Adding 'dis-' to 'organize' straightforwardly yields the meaning 'cause to become not organized or orderly'.

Etymology

Disorganize is made from the prefix dis- meaning 'not' and organize meaning 'to put things in order'. So, to disorganize is to make something 'not organized' or to break its order and make it messy.